Nightingale
by czgohan
Summary: My entry to Perpetual159’s ‘I love Men in uniform’ challenge. Rated for innuendo, references to violence and to adult situations, though no descriptive scenes. Fluffy. AU. Oneshot. Please r/r.


This story is written as my response to Perpetual159's 'I love Men in uniform' (even if it's not my thing being a straight male) challenge. This is a one shot that I hope you all like.

Disclaimer: I neither own nor do I get paid for any Naruto characters.

Nightingale

"Slow night, kinda boring," Naruto groused, as Sasuke got back into their squad car with two cups of coffee and handed one to his partner.

"Hm," Sasuke remarked taking a sip of his own cup. He smirked, "slow is good in our job…Dobe."

"Teme," Naruto grumbled.

It was a late night patrol, and he was in serious risk of passing out. He didn't get much sleep the day before, and the boredom wasn't helping. He knew damn well that it was better that they were not busy, but he needed something to wake his ass up.

Maybe some conversation, he turned to his lifelong friend and decided to say something to get his mind off things. Naruto grinned slightly realizing just the thing to talk about that would dig at Sasuke.

"So, how's Sakura doing…what is it 6 months now?"

Sasuke's eye twitched a bit as he glared at his blond friend from the corner of his eye, his head still facing forward. It always impressed Naruto that he could pull off such an impressive heated look, and barely even glance at you.

Naruto had been given this look far too often to let it faze him anymore, and after knowing a guy for 20 years, since they were kids, he was used to it.

Sasuke shook his head at the lack of nervous reaction from his partner, "8 months now you baka. And on maternity leave."

Naruto took a sip of his hot beverage and grinned, "How's that treating the two of you?"

Sasuke sighed, "Let's just say that now that I know she will be home, I know to duck when I open the door."

Naruto had a good laugh at that, Sakura's violent tendencies went completely at odds with the fact that the woman was supposed to be a doctor and heal people. He had personally been on the receiving end of some of her punishment when the three of them were kids growing up together. And the pregnancy did not help matters it seemed.

Naruto laughed because it was so refreshing to see or hear about her throwing some of that fiery attitude in the direction of her husband, the man who had never see her anger directed at him due to her longtime love for him.

Sasuke decided that he'd heard enough of that, "At least it's not an empty apartment that I go home to," he remarked coolly.

That shut him up, "low blow, teme," Naruto muttered.

It wasn't his fault that the only woman he every really thought he could have loved was his childhood friend, who was now married to his other childhood friend. He was happy for them, there was no doubt about that, but it was his bad luck that the only faithful woman he really knew was another  
mans wife.

Especially after the last two girlfriends of his, he kicked them both out after coming home early and finding them in bed with another man. He sometimes wondered if he attracted the wrong type, both women he'd  
seriously dated in his life, cheated on him?

The second time they were right in the middle of it, he felt a vindictive bit of pleasure kicking them out right then and there.

His introspection was, thankfully, cut short when the radio started squawking, "All unit's, robbery in progress on the corner of 5th and 13th. One suspect confirmed armed."

Naruto glanced over at Sasuke, gave a slight grin, "careful what you wish for, huh teme?" He grabbed the hand-piece and pressed the send button, "Dispatch, this is unit seven, on route."

OoOoO

It was a slow night so far in Konoha Hospital, though she didn't complain. Hyuuga Hinata had an occupation that in which it was preferable to not be busy.

She hated to see people on pain, she was determined to help alive others suffering in anyway that she could.

And so, despite her fathers' disappointment in her for not going into the family business of law, she opted for nursing school.

Now at the age of twenty-five she was a registered nurse, just as her mother had been. It was in honor of her that she went this route.

It was late and she sat at the nurse's station finalizing some release papers for one of the patients. She covered her mouth as a large yawn escaped her, and suddenly a Styrofoam cup was placed before her.

She looked up to see a smiling face, of course it was him.

"Cream and two sugars, just how you like it."

She smiled tiredly at him, "thank you Kiba-san." She didn't mind the young EMT, he was friendly and most everyone found him to be quite charming, but she wished he would stop trying.

Despite his good nature, she just wasn't interested, but of course her kind and shy nature prevented her from just coming out and saying this, she felt that it would be far too rude. Deep down she was pretty sure he realized that, but it didn't seem to stop him from trying.

And of course here it comes, "so, Hinata, I was wondering if you were doing any…"

He trailed off when his radio started, informing him that he was needed on the corner of 5th and 13th streets. She wasn't sure of the codes but the way that his face blanched it was serious.

And sure enough, "I'll be right back, make sure that the doctors are ready Hinata," he said suddenly professional, "police shooting," he explained and bolted for the door.

She nodded and immediately paged the doctor on staff.

Ten minutes later Kiba and his partner Shino came bursting through the door. They pushed along a gurney that held a blond officer that looked around her age and were followed by another young officer that she recognized.

Uchiha Sasuke was Sakuras', her friend's and doctor in this hospital, husband. She had met him a couple of times, and had never imagined that his face could have such a worried look on it; her impression of him was being unflappable like her cousin Neji. The man on the gurney was obviously his partner.

She rushed over to them along with the head surgical doctor, Tsunade. The older woman gasped at the sight of the young officer, and she muttered quietly, "Naruto."

"Name is Uzumaki Naruto," Kiba said. "Twenty-six year old male, gun shot wound to the lower back, close to the spine, there it no exit wound the bullet may be lodged against his vertebrae."

Tsunade nodded and turned to Hinata, "call down to the surgical room make sure that they are fully prepped," she said very sharply. She obviously knew this man.

"Hai, Doctor Senju," Hinata replied quickly and before turning to go she quickly looked down at the wounded man.

That moment seemed to last for an eternity to her, she caught a glimpse of him opening his eyes. They were the most shocking sky-blue color she had ever seen, a bolt of pure energy seemed to run through her as their eyes locked.

He opened his mouth and framed a single word, he made hardly any noise but she thought that she could read the word 'angel' on his lips before his eyes drifted closed again.

She suddenly had a massively strong hope that this man would be all right.

The world seemed to catch up with her when his eyes closed and she rushed back to the station and picked up the phone, quickly dialing the needed extension was informed that the surgery room would be ready in a minute.

She called this information out to Tsunade who was now rushing along with two orderlies that had taken the gurney from Kiba and Shino. The blond woman nodded to her.

Sasuke tried to follow, but when they reached the doors of the elevator he was rebuffed. Tsunade spared him a glance and said, "sorry you can't come, and shouldn't you be calling the captain and the police chief. I am sure that they would want to hear this from Naruto's partner." Her face softened, "don't worry we will do everything we can."

The young officer stopped in his tracks and nodded silently, a grimace on his face; as though that was the last thing he wanted to do.

He turned and walked toward the exit, pulling out his phone as he went. He caught Hinata's eye and a looked of recognition came to his face, as though he just realized who she was. He gave her a brief nod before putting the phone to his ear; he words were cut off as the glass doors slid shut behind him, "Captain? I have some bad news, it's about your…"

OoOoO

He felt groggy and sore, there was a weird beeping noise. It was a steady sound that he couldn't quite place; his mind was not running as quickly as it should have been.

He tried to recall what happened and the memory soon returned to him. They responded to a robbery, which quickly turned south and the last thing he remembers was the muzzle flash of the opposing gun and a searing pain in his lower back.

That was odd, he was facing the suspect…must have been a ricochet off the wall behind him.

He gave a groan and heard a soft gasp as he opened his eyes to a blinding white light. He blinked a bit and saw a face swim into his view. His eyes drifted shut again.

Naruto gave a small chuckle, "huh, must've died…" his voice sounded foreign and raspy to his own ears.

A quiet, soothing voice spoke, "no, Uzumaki-san, you were hurt but you are going to be fine."

He gave another small laugh, "yeah? Then how do you explain the angel?"

The same soft voice spoke again, "A-angel?"

He gave a small nod; it hurt his head to do it so he stopped quickly. "Saw her, just now. I think before as well, beautiful eyes lavender maybe? Very pretty, with perfect long dark hair. Dressed in white, and surrounded by light…angel…"

Hinata's face turned a bright red as she watched him, his breathing was steady and his voice drifted away. He had fallen asleep.

There was a slight chuckle behind her, and Hinata turned to see Tsunade standing in the doorway. Behind her she could see two men that she had been introduced to as the captain Namikaze Minato which she learned to be the younger officers father, he did look like a slightly older version of her patient, though was confused as to the difference in the surname.

And a wide-grinning older man with pure white hair gave her a quick wink behind Tsunade's back. Hinata knew this man to be the police chief, though in a high position he was a very friendly man…far too friendly to the point of some slight discomfort on her part, he preferred that everyone call him simply by his given name of Jiraiya.

Tsunade gave Hinata a knowing look as she finished her short laugh, "Angel huh? Must be the medication." She teased the young nurse.

Hinata turned even redder, amazingly that was even possible, and said nothing not trusting her voice at the moment.

"So, he will be ok?" Minato inquired, a look of relief was starting to spread on his face now that his son had woken, if only for a moment.

Tsunade turned to him, "Yes, the bullet was close to his spine, and he will need some therapy, but I expect him to make a full recovery."

OoOoO

The next time that he had awoken his first though was that he was in hell, after all the first sight was Sasuke's damn face.

Slowly as the effects of the medication had begun to clear he found his thoughts beginning to come into sharper focus. And the memory of the so called 'angel' was explained. Though he still felt his initial thought about the woman, however heavily medicated he was, to be accurate.

Over the course of the following week she came to visit him all the time, he couldn't explain the simple joy he felt each time she walked through the door.

She helped him with his exercises and sometimes simply came to talk; they talked about themselves a lot. The two found they had much in common; both had followed the paths that one of their parents had been on.

Both had lost their mothers to child-birth, Naruto's mother when she was delivering him and Hinata's when her younger sister was born.

And that did answer the difference in Naruto's surname compared to his fathers.

While he would follow in his father's foot-steps, he'd do so while honoring the woman who gave him life.

They both worked hard and never gave up on their dream, Naruto eventually wanted to be the chief of police. Hinata was planning to try for more classes eventually and become a nurse-practioner.

Naruto felt comfortable around this woman; there was just something about her that made him hope that the old adage of the third times the charm was true. He just knew that if it was true, then this woman would be the one to prove it.

OoOoO

Hinata was happily making her way to Naruto's room, this past week she started to feel something that she never felt for someone before. She wondered if love at first sight was even possible, she liked to believe so as it best described what she was feeling.

Her mood was halted as she got to the room and found Naruto finishing with buttoning up his shirt, and the truth hit her hard. His recovery had been nothing short of remarkable. Her mind froze at just how well he really wore that uniform, and also at the realization that he was leaving today.

He turned to see her, and gave her his blindingly gorgeous grin. "Hey, Hinata," he said cheerfully. "I am finally out of here; baa-chan cleared me, awesome right?"

"Y-yes, very good," she replied quietly. There was a concealed disappointment in her voice, was he really just going to leave? Was he never going to look back?

She felt horrible with her wish that he could stay; it was a hospital after all. In order to stay would mean that he needed to recover still.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt his strong arms wrap around her, "I wanna thank you, you saved my life after all."

"W-what?"

He laughed a bit at her confusion, he heart leapt into her throat at the melodic sound. "Well, while Baa-chan physically saved me, I'd have died of boredom if it wasn't for you. You really went above what your job required of you to me. so it got me to thinking…"

She looked up at his warmly lit face, her own growing a bit too warm.

He pulled away from her and pulled something out of his pocket; it was a small folded piece of paper. "While I am extremely happy to get out of this room and building, I would like to get together sometime." He pressed he paper into her hand; she felt a pleasurable chill run down her spine. "Give me a call sometime."

Hinata nodded mutely, she just could not get it said out loud. Her voice locked up even further as his face seemed to explode in a large smile. And he quickly leaned down and placed his lips to her cheek. "See you soon, Hinata."


End file.
